ICC World T20 to be called T20 World Cup from 2020 edition

The ICC World T20 to be called ICC World Cup from the 2020 edition of the tournament.

Photo courtesy: Twitter/@WorldT20

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that it has renamed the ICC World T20 as the ICC T20 World Cup.

This means next editions of the events in 2020 in Australia will be known as the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020.

The renaming decision is aligned to the Global Cricket Strategy which will be launched in early 2019, in which the shortest format of the game will not only be used as the vehicle to globalise the game, but also to enhance its profile and status and ensure its status is at par with the pinnacle events of the other two formats.

The renaming of the event is also aimed at cementing the importance this event holds in the international cricket calendar and ensuring parity across all three formats of the game.

The decision to rename the event was backed by international captains, while South Africa’s Faf du Plessis announced that the event in the last quarter of 2020 in Australia would be his final ICC event.

“Playing in any World Cup always holds higher stature to the fans and cricketers aiming to be selected, so this change will definitely get more people interested in the respective men and women’s World Cups," du Plessis said. 

“Personally for me, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2020 will probably be my last ICC event after the World Cup in 2019, so it does give me one last opportunity to vie for a World Cup medal if it doesn’t happen in 2019," he added. 

India men’s captain Virat Kohli said that he is extremely excited to have got the opportunity to be a part of the T20 World Cup in Australia.  

"The pinnacle event for T20 cricket is rightly now the World Cup. India won the first edition of the World T20 in 2007 and it would be a great moment to hold the T20 World Cup trophy aloft in Australia," he said. 

Australia men’s captain Aaron Finch, whose country will play host to the two events in 2020, said, “It’s exciting for Australia to be hosting both the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2020.  

“Representing your country in a World Cup is a huge honour, and winning the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015 on home soil was an incredible feeling. Now, we get the chance to take on the world’s best T20 teams in Australia as part of this showcase event.  

“There’s still plenty of preparation ahead for the tournament, but we’re looking forward to the challenge and playing in front of our fans in Australia.” 

India women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur, whose side is ranked in top-five of the shortest format, said, “This is an exciting tournament that teams get to play. It has brought together the best from around the world over the years and so I think the change in name is a natural progression.

“I’m sure this tournament will only grow in popularity in the coming years with the thrilling brand of the game that has been on display in different editions of the tournament.”

Meanwhile, England women’s team captain Heather Knight, whose side is ranked second in the shortest format, also heaped praises on the ICC's decision. 

“We’ve always loved playing in this tournament and with the increasing focus on T20I cricket, it is bound to become even more fiercely contested. It has always been a global event and we’ve see a number of countries perform in it across the years so the change in name makes sense.

“It’s always been a World Cup to us and I’m sure to other teams as well so we look forward to playing in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2020," she said. 

The ICC had earlier already approved that all T20s between its Members would be granted T20I status. It then introduced a regional qualification process that provides a pathway to all its 104 Members with an opportunity to play and win the World Cup.